"Happiness does not come from doing easy work but from the afterglow of satisfaction that comes after the achievement of a difficult task that demanded our best." - Theodore I. Rubin

Sunday, January 30, 2011

Houston Race Recap and Pumped for swimbikerun!

Going into Houston I didn't really have many expectations. I felt great going into the race and the few running workouts I did went well, so I knew I'd probably run decent with a small chance of a magical day. A big reason I wanted to go race was to see the loop we'll be running in the trials course and see Houston, the race venue and how the race organizers are going to handle the Olympic Trials in less than one year!

My mind was a big "blah" so to speak, the morning of the race. I stayed calm and didn't feel tons of nerves. I kept telling myself to not worry about the end result, just get out there, race every mile yet more importantly race smart and pay attention to the course. Thankfully my head and heart kept me positive during a race, once again! I felt amazing until about mile 8, where I started to feel myself getting hotter (it was warm and humid and not enough water stops!). I kept pressing as much as I could, keep my form from falling apart and not let more women pass me (only 1 did from the time the entire race started). It felt good to gradually reel women in who started out too fast because it gives you a feeling of positive momentum. The trick is not to settle just because you've passed people in front of you; you have to make sure you are still pushing the pace where you want it to be.

I finished in 14th place in 1:15:24. Some argue that Garmin watches are not accurate but mine showed the course being way long- 13.32 miles! Others had it long as well, so I hope they fix that before the marathon...26.2 is enough and an extra .4 would not be fun, haha :) Basically, for the Trials, they will have us run an out and back section at the start of the race (away from the finish line and then back toward it, for a total of 2.2 miles)...then we keep on running through the finish for the start of the 3, 8 mile loops. Each 8 mile loop has 2 very sharp 180 degree hairpin turns that massively slow your momentum! The reason they made the course this way is to mimic the London Olympic Marathon course. Is having hundreds of trials qualifiers running this type of course beneficial when at most only 3 make the team? Some argue no but I guess being mad about it or hating it will only mess up your head going into such a big race..you have to accept it and train to be ready for it.

As I talked with friends and people I knew after the race, made my way back to my room and took an ice bath, I couldn't help but feel huge rushes of excitement for my big swimbikerun races in Costa Rica in less than 2 weeks! I have been working pretty hard in the pool and riding Mr. Specialized a lot, so I really think it will show me what kind of shape I am in this early in the year and how much harder I have to work the next few months. It seriously seems as if Christmas was just here and it's been over a month, so with time flying so fast, you have to make the most of every training and recovery week because both determine how successful you are going to be on the race course!

We had some beeeeauuutiful days here in Phoenix the past couple weeks but rain and colder temps are rolling in this week..time to get my toughness back up a few notches :) Have a great week everyone!

Pic: cool pic from PF Changs my friend took.

Quote: "Of course it's going to be hard...it wouldn't be worth it if it weren't"- actress in a movie I saw :)

3 comments:

Nice job on the finish time. I like your idea about accepting the course and training for it. I pulled out a pretty good run (good enough for a PR) at the ARR Desert Classic 1/2. This weather change will make training a little more difficult but given what the mid-west is getting weather wise I will take the Phoenix weather. Look forward to reading about the trip to Costa Rica.

Hey Sally, you are just a machine! Honestly- I am such in awe! Most Garmins will start to measure long as you run longer, there was some articles saying it has something to do with the arm swing, not sure. But I always get courses long with my Garmin and I too hope that they are not really long :) Spectacular time!!!!! WOW!- Drea

My coach- Adam Zucco

Some of my favorite quotes:

"Your treasure- your perfection- is within you already. But to claim it, you must leave the busy commotion of the mind and abandon the desires of the ego and enter into the silence of the heart"- Eat, Pray, Love

"It doesn’t interest me what you do for a living. I want to know what you ache for. It doesn’t interest me how old you are, I want to know if you will risk looking like a fool for love, for your dreams, for the adventure of being alive. I want to know if you can live with failure, yours and mine and still shout at the edges of a lake, river or mountain yes! It doesn’t interest me where you live or how much money you have. I want to know if you can get up after a night of grief and despair, weary and bruised to the bone and do what needs to be done for someone you love. I want to know if you can be alone with yourself and truly like the company you keep in the empty moments in your life. Live more than your neighbors, unleash yourself upon the world and go places. Understand that this is not a dress rehearsal, this is it, your life. Face your fears and live your dreams, take it all in, yes, every chance you get, come close; and yes, by all means what ever you do, get it on film." - John Blais

"With great risk comes great reward"

"To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson

"Do what you feel in your heart to be right - for you'll be criticized anyway. You'll be damned if you do, and damned if you don't." - Eleanor Roosevelt

"Later that day I got to thinking about relationships. There are those that open you up to something new and exotic, those that are old and familiar, those that bring up lots of questions, those that bring you somewhere unexpected, those that bring you far from where you started, and those that bring you back. But the most exciting, challenging and significant relationship of all is the one you have with yourself. And if you can find someone to love the you you love, well, that's just fabulous"- Carrie

"Life is rarely what we expect it to be, but we need to look for the lillies. We need to do what brings us joy and what gives us a sense of purpose"

"Where the way is hardest, there go thou: Follow your own path, and let people talk." - Dante

"Don't let 'em tell you can't be anything you wanna be,Don't be deceived,Anything's possible if you would just believe,then you can succeed.It might not be easy, but anything's possible,Don't you know, gonna be sweat and some tears, some hard years,Best believe it'll be hard and some pain, expect some rain,But you're gonna make it if you try,Keep your eye on the prize.You might have to work it but it's gonna be *worth it*I know you canAnything's possibleSo you and me believe and we will receive"